The present invention generally relates to the field of natural lighting systems and more particularly, is directed to a skylight having a plurality of distribution channels or tubes for directing natural light to a plurality of rooms within a building.
The design and use of lighting systems in a building or home is often the subject of much consideration and attention. Not only must the lighting system meet the illumination needs of the room, the system must also complement the mode and desired ambiance.
In recent years, the introduction of natural light into a room has become increasingly popular. Driven by economic and artistic taste, natural light is cost free, more pleasing to the eye and more relaxing to room occupants than man-made light. In addition, natural light can enhance the atmosphere of a room in ways not possible with man-made light. Living plants also respond better to natural light than they do to most types of man-made light.
Natural light often is introduced into an interior room of a home or building by way of a skylight. Skylights usually comprise a transparent dome or cover mounted on the roof of the home. A reflective tube is connected to the dome and is routed to a diffuser mounted in the ceiling of the room to be lighted. Thus, natural light striking the dome reflects downward through the tube and into the room through the diffuser.
A number of styles and designs exist in the art for various embodiments of a skylight. The idea of using a tube made of reflective material to deliver natural light into a building or room of a home is not new. Each of the current designs, however, is limited to a single output for each dome or bubble on the roof. As the number of skylights desired increases so does the labor cost, material costs and possibility for leaks and subsequent water damage. Accordingly, there is a need for a skylight of multi-tube design which minimizes the number of cutouts in the roof, and thus the potential for leaking.